Alex Eala eyes redemption vs Maya Joint in Wimbledon second round

Philippines’ Alexandra Eala serves to Mexico’s Renata Zarazua during their women’s singles first round tennis match on the second day of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on June 30, 2026. (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines–Alex Eala is looking to see how far she has improved when she faces Maya Joint again in the second round of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships.

Eala lost a heartbreaker to Joint in the final of the 2025 Eastbourne Open, where she failed to convert four championship points and missed out on her first WTA 250 title.

It was still a historic moment for Eala, who became the first Filipino woman to reach a WTA singles final.

“I had a really great match with Maya last year so I’d love to have the chance to improve on some things that I could have improved from that match,” Eala said after hurdling her first assignment of her seeded Wimbledon campaign.

A lot has happened since their last meeting, with Eala continuing her steady rise and reaching a career-high ranking of No. 29 in the WTA.

Joint, meanwhile, dropped out of the Top 80 after dealing with a back injury earlier this year.

But Joint remains a formidable opponent, having proved her worth by ousting tennis legend Serena Williams in a hard-fought three-setter, 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3, in the first round at Centre Court.

The Filipino tennis star, meanwhile, dominated Renata Zarazúa, 6-1, 6-2, for her first Wimbledon main-draw victory.

Eala and Joint clash on Thursday (Manila time).